50,000 sign online petition to recast T’Challa in the ‘Black Panther’ sequel

“Black Panther” fans want a new actor to take over the role of T’Challa in the groundbreaking blockbuster’s forthcoming sequel.

Close to 50,000 people have signed on to an online petition calling for the role immortalized by the late Chadwick Boseman to be recast.

“This is a call for the President of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige, Co-President Louis D’Esposito, and Writer/Director Ryan Coogler to reconsider their decision, and recast the role of “T’Challa” in the Black Panther franchise,” a new Change.org petition reads.

Feige previously announced that the Marvel Cinematic Universe will “honor the legacy” of Boseman by not recasting T’Challa.

Boseman died of colon cancer in August 2020.

“If Marvel Studios removes T’Challa, it would be at the expense of the audiences (especially Black boys and men) who saw themselves in him. That also includes the millions of fans who were inspired by the character as well,” the call to action continued. “By not recasting, it could stifle the opportunity for one of the most popular leading Black superheroes to add on to their legacy.”

Derrick Boseman, the oldest brother of the late actor, is on board with the Black Panther role being recast so T’Challa can continue inspiring Black fans of the superhero films.

Earlier this month, the Murfreesboro, Tenn.-based pastor told TMZ that though Boseman didn’t specifically say before his August 2020 death that he would want the role to continue with another actor, he is confident his brother was aware the character was bigger than himself.

Marvel VP of Development Nate Moore said in November that viewers will not see T’Challa in the “MCU 616 universe,” referencing the primary timeline for the events in Marvel comics.

“When Chad passed, it was a real conversation we had with [director Ryan] Coogler about, ‘What do we do?’ and it was a fast conversation,” he told the Ringer-Verse podcast. “It wasn’t weeks, it was minutes of we had to figure out how to move that franchise on without that character. Because I think we all feel so much of T’Challa in the MCU on the screen... is tied to Chadwick’s performance.”

According to a recent Fandango survey, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” is the most anticipated movie of 2022.

The film is slated to hit screens Nov. 11.